NFL Rumors: Philip Rivers Could Leave Chargers And Join Bears In 2020 Season, Per Jason La Canfora
Due to his advancing age and the noticeable decline in his once-great performance, there’s reportedly a possibility Philip Rivers might be on his way out of the Los Angeles Chargers after this season. It also appears that the veteran quarterback, who turns 38 next month, might have another potential destination if he chooses to play a 17th NFL season next year – the Chicago Bears.
In a report published on Sunday, CBS Sports‘ Jason La Canfora reported on how Rivers has been having a very challenging 2019 campaign, one where he has registered a mediocre 85.5 quarterback rating while throwing 15 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. Citing sources familiar with the situation, La Canfora added that Rivers will be entering free agency after the current season and has made “no inroads” as far as a contract extension is concerned. As such, he wrote that it’s far from certain whether the longtime Chargers signal-caller will be back in Los Angeles next year, as the team might choose to “go in a different direction.”
“He doesn’t seem like he wants anything to do with L.A., at a time when the team is actually completing its relocation to L.A.,” said one of La Canfora’s unnamed sources.
Although it was also noted that Rivers hasn’t shown any interest in leaving the team that he’s played for since getting picked fourth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft, La Canfora cited an unnamed league source who claimed that the Bears “might interest” the quarterback if he decides to play in the 2020 season.
Philip Rivers has thrown 7 interceptions in his last two games, the most in any two-game span in his career.
Monday was his 61st loss by 7 or fewer points as a starting quarterback, the most by a starting QB in the Super Bowl era. pic.twitter.com/uAGc3JzLPw
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 19, 2019
At the moment, Chicago is struggling with a 5-6 record following last year’s playoff appearance. In a separate report, NBC Sports Bay Area opined that this is mainly on account of first-string quarterback Mitchell Trubisky’s underwhelming performance in his third year in the league. The No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft, Trubisky is averaging only 185.8 yards passing with just five games remaining in the season, with 10 touchdown passes and six interceptions to his name.
“Signing Rivers to a short-term contract likely would be an immediate upgrade for the Bears, who still have one of the best defenses in the NFL when healthy,” NBC Sports Bay Area wrote.
Although Rivers might have a good chance at outplaying Trubisky even in the twilight of his storied NFL career, the Bears aren’t the only team that has been linked to him in recent weeks. As reported previously by The Inquisitr, Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer suggested in September that the Tennessee Titans – a team that switched starting quarterbacks from Marcus Mariota to Ryan Tannehill a few weeks ago – could also make a move for the eight-time Pro Bowler in the 2020 offseason.
